The novel's original title was Tiger, Tiger. The title was changed to The Stars My Destination when the book was published in the United States. Read the following poem on which the original title is based and address all the following questions in the discusison section of this page.
"The Tyger"
from Songs Of Experience, 1794
By William Blake
Tyger! Tyger! burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare sieze the fire?
And what shoulder and what art.
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand and what dread feet?
What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?
When the stars threw down their spears,
And watered heaven with their tears,
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?
Tyger! Tyger! burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?
1) What question does this poem ask about the origins of evil? Cite specific lines from the poem to support your idea.
2) Based on the details of the poem, where does it seem that the tiger is created? Cite specifics to support your ideas.
3) Why does the narrator of the poem ask in line 20, "Did He who made the lamb make thee?" What contrast are you to make between the tiger and the lamb?
4) The poem seems to also be about the creative process and how things come to being. As Blake, as an artist, is constantly engaged creative process, what does this poem suggest or say about the rights and responsibilities of those who create? Do they have an obligation to create only the good? Should they be concerned for the well being of the society in which they are creating? Can art really be as dangerous as an uncaged and wild animal?
5) As stated at the beginning of this post, the original title of the novel we are reading was Tiger, Tiger. Presumably this poem is still where Alfred Bester gets the second title of his novel. Line 17 makes reference to stars, by saying, "When the stars threw down their spears." What is the significance of the title switch or more specifically what is lost and what is gained by changing the title?
"The Tyger"
from Songs Of Experience, 1794
By William Blake
Tyger! Tyger! burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare sieze the fire?
And what shoulder and what art.
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand and what dread feet?
What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?
When the stars threw down their spears,
And watered heaven with their tears,
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?
Tyger! Tyger! burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?
1) What question does this poem ask about the origins of evil? Cite specific lines from the poem to support your idea.
2) Based on the details of the poem, where does it seem that the tiger is created? Cite specifics to support your ideas.
3) Why does the narrator of the poem ask in line 20, "Did He who made the lamb make thee?" What contrast are you to make between the tiger and the lamb?
4) The poem seems to also be about the creative process and how things come to being. As Blake, as an artist, is constantly engaged creative process, what does this poem suggest or say about the rights and responsibilities of those who create? Do they have an obligation to create only the good? Should they be concerned for the well being of the society in which they are creating? Can art really be as dangerous as an uncaged and wild animal?
5) As stated at the beginning of this post, the original title of the novel we are reading was Tiger, Tiger. Presumably this poem is still where Alfred Bester gets the second title of his novel. Line 17 makes reference to stars, by saying, "When the stars threw down their spears." What is the significance of the title switch or more specifically what is lost and what is gained by changing the title?